Just perfect...

As Good As It Gets

There are better movies of two hours length. I loved the actress'performance.

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

For a made-for-tv movie it's obviously still intriguing enough to have captured the Millennial generations attention and spawned an updated remake. This is ORIGINAL movie based on Margaret Atwood's novel that pretty much follows her book as originally written.The questionable ensemble of actors chosen seem to give this film a disjointed feel possibly due to the lack of chemistry between them. Faye Dunaway as Serena Joy and Ed Harris as the Commander seem more like abusive grandparents to Natasha Richardson's Offred, (Elizabeth McGoverns' Moira only stands out because of her age and garters at Jezebels) STILL a good movie (for network tv) and enjoyable if you want the original tale as written.

First and foremost, the movie makes it very clear that it is "based" on the novel. Differences, therefore are to be expected.For the most part, the movie follows the book fairly well, with a few differences. One of the things I liked in the book was her utter anonymity. It could very well have been myself that I was reading about as we're not given her name. It's hinted in the first chapter that her name may be June but it is never fully laid out. This made the book hit a bit closer to home for me than the movie did.The costumes are not very accurate portrayals of what's in the book. It means that the visuals and symbolism are a bit...off, but it isn't that big of a problem.All in all, I found the movie to be VERY watchable. I probably wouldn't enjoyed it so much if I hadn't just finished reading the novel yesterday so I can assure you that it is best to have the book fresh in your mind when you watch the film so you can be aware of the differences as they appear.I would strongly suggest this movie as a cautionary tale, especially in the current political climate of the US. The Republic of Gilead does not seem as safely distanced from the realm of possibility as I would truly like it to be.

In a world consumed by infertility, Kate (Natasha Richardson) is trying to escape the Republic of Gilead with her family. It's a totalitarian Christian state where fertile women are forced to conceive. The blacks, welfare, women's liberation and in vitro fertilization are among the things blamed for the world's problems. Kate and her daughter are captured while her husband is killed. Kate is made to be a handmaid trained by Aunt Lydia (Victoria Tennant). She befriends lesbian Moira (Elizabeth McGovern). She is placed with the commander (Robert Duvall) and given the new name Offred. She is ritualistically raped and expected to conceive for them. As he takes an interest in her, she fears retribution from his wife Serena Joy (Faye Dunaway). The commander is infertile and she falls for the help Nick (Aidan Quinn).It's a harrowing world. The problem is trying to get a compelling story out of it. It's fine for the most part although the production design could be better. The last act needs an explosive ending. The movie decides on an actual explosion which does nothing for the tension. With its obvious restraints, the movie needs a less expensive and more intense final conflict. In my mind, she needs to also kill Serena Joy in an all out fight. Kate ends up waiting around for the men to save the world. It's not a terribly liberated ending.

Margaret Atwood's acclaimed novel, adapted for the screen and turned into a high-minded but posed, uncomfortable human drama, despite an expert cast. Taking place in the soulless distant future, all young women have been turned into child-breeders for wealthy, infertile couples, with Nastasha Richardson assigned to nightmarish twosome Robert Duvall and Faye Dunaway. Elizabeth McGovern plays a lesbian who hopes to make a break for it (every totalitarian society should have one). Certainly watchable, though an icy cold presentation which promises to be much more than it is. Richardson doesn't flash a hint of her feisty personality, though McGovern is very good and Duvall does what he can with a terrible role. ** from ****